it in her
friend's dress. Her fingers trembled unmistakably as she did it, and Anne
looked at her inquiringly. "Is anything the matter?"

"No. Why?" said Dot, turning very red.

Anne smiled a little. "I feel as if a bird had left off singing," she
said.

Dot laughed, still with hot cheeks. "What a pretty way of putting it!
Bertie isn't nearly so complimentary. He calls me the magpie, which is
really very unfair, for he talks much more than I do. Dear old Bertie!"

The dimples lingered, and Anne bent suddenly and kissed them. "Dear
little Dot!" she said.

Instantly Dot's arms were very tightly round her. "Anne darling, I've got
something to tell you--something you very possibly won't quite like. You
won't be vexed any, will you?"

"Not any," smiled Anne.

"No, but it isn't a small thing. It--it's rather immense. But Bertie said
I was to tell you, because you are not to be taken by surprise again. He
doesn't think it fair, and of course he's right."

"What is it, dear?" said Anne. The smile had gone from her face, but her
eyes were steadfast and very still--the eyes of a woman who had waited
all her life.

"My dear," said Dot, holding her closely, "it's only that Bertie didn't
go up to town on business. It was to meet someone, and--and that someone
will be with him when he comes back. I promised Bertie to tell you, but
you were so late getting here I was afraid I shouldn't have time. Oh,
Anne dear, I do hope you don't mind."

Dot's face, a guilty scarlet, was hidden in Anne's shoulder. Anne's hand,
very quiet and steady, came up and began to stroke the fluffy hair that
blew against her neck. But she said nothing.

It was Dot who remorsefully broke the silence. "I feel such a beast,
Anne, but really I had no hand in it this time. He wrote to Bertie
yesterday from town. He hasn't been in England for over a year, and he
wanted to know if he could come to us. Bertie went up this morning to see
him and bring him back. I thought of coming round to you, but Bertie
seemed to think I had better wait and tell you when you came. I hoped you
would have come earlier, so that I would have had more time to tell you
about it. Dear, do tell me it's all right."

"It is all right," Anne said, and with the words she smiled again though
her face was pale. "It is quite all right, Dot dear. Don't be anxious."

Dot looked up with a start. "That's the motor coming now. Oh, Anne, I've
only told you just in time!"

She was quiveri